Inhaler



r h 4 c. M. MONEILL INHALER Filed July 2, 1951 lNVEN'ljOR. Car les 772 772-026;,

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNIT ED STATES TENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

an inhaler which contains a medicinal solution wherein, upon inspiratory breathing by the user, a portion of the medicine will be shaken loose from a vibratory ribbon or reed to be intermixed with the incoming air current and create a fine spray.

A further object of the invention is to provide an inhaler which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the inhaler, constructed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the cap;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-5 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral l designates the casing or housing which may be fabricated of any suitable material, such as plastic. The casing I0 is adapted to hold a quantity of medicinal solution S therein, Figure 1. Supported on the top of the casing I0 is a collar II, the collar l I being cut away, as at I2, to define an annular shoulder so that the collar II will be supported upon the casing 10.

The upper portion of the collar II is cut away. as at M, and extending upwardly from the collar II is a sleeve [5. The sleeve l defines a nose piece which can be inserted into the users nostrils when the medicinal solution S is to be drawn into the nose or lungs of the user. The upper end of the sleeve I5 is open, as at J6, so that the spray containing the volatilized medicine can pass from the inhaler.

The sleeve I 5 is provided with a plurality of spaced slots or openings l'l, Figures 1 and 4, and extending downwardly from the sleeve is a body member IS. The body member l3 may be fabricatedof any suitable material, such as metal, and the lower end of the body member I8 is shaped to define a shank 19. The shank l9 extends downwardly into the solution S, and the shank i9 is provided with a slot for a purpose to be later described.

The intermediate portion of the body member I8 is indicated by the numeral 2|, and the intermediate portion 2| is provided with a cylindrical bore 22. The upper end of the body member i8 is shaped to define a chamber '23, Figure l, and the bore 22 communicates with the chamber 23. The body member I8 is further provided with slots or openings 24 which communicate with the bore 22 so that air traveling through the casing 10 can pass into the bore through the openings 24. A reed or ribbon 25 extends downwardly through slot 20, and the reed 25 is fabricated of a material which will absorb or draw up some of the solution S by capillary action. The reed 25 is also flexible, so that as air is drawn up through the bore 22, the ribbon or reed 25 will vibrate, whereby some of the medicine on the upper portion of the reed 25 will be shaken loose or vibrated loose to become intermixed with the'moving air current so as to create a medicinal spray.

Arranged within the sleeve [5 above the body member I8 is a baffle 26. The baille 26 is provided with a plurality of radially extending slots or opening 27, Figures 1 and 3, and the baiiie 2'6 serves to prevent any large droplets or particles of medicine from being carried into the nostrils or lungs of the user. A cap 28, Figure 2, is adapted to be inserted or positioned over the sleeve I5 when the inhaler is not being used, so that the contents of the inhaler wont deteriorate or become contaminated.

From the foregoing it is apparent that an inhaler has been provided wherein the upper end of the sleeve i5 can be inserted into the nostrils of the user after the cap 28 is removedtherefrom. Thus, upon inspiratory breathing, air will be drawn in through the openings I! in the sleeve l5, and this air will follow the paths indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. Thus, the air will pass downwardly through the casing i 0, and then enter the bore '22 through the openings 24. The flexible reed 25 adsorbsor retains a quantity of the medicinal solution S due to capillary action of the reed 25, and as the air is sucked up through the bore '22, the reed 25 will vibrate so that a portion of the fluid material thereon will be shaken loose and intermixed with the movin air. Thus, a spray containing atomized medicinal solution will be created, and this spray will pass up through the chamber 23, thence through the openings 21, and finally out through the openings It in the upper end of the sleeve l5 and into the nostrils and lungs of the user. The baffie 26 will prevent any large drops of medicine from passing through the sleeve IS.

The wick or reed 25 has its lower end anchored in the slot in the shank it, Figure 1. The wick soaks up the medicinal solution by capillary action, so that the medicinal solution will be atomized as the user breathes. Thus, a fine spray will be produced as a result of the negative pressure of breathing. The baffle 25 catches the heavier droplets of medicine so that only the smallest particles of mist will pass out of the inhaler.

From the foregoing .it is apparent that-a means has been provided .for breaking up a fluid by the low pressure of breathing into fine enough particles to fioat with the air stream into the lung passage. Thus, a person can breathe hard enough to vibrate a ribbon or a reed, in several different arrangements as previously described and the vibrations of the reed or ribbon have the necessary force to break up the fluid. Further,

whenever fluid drops on a vibrating reed or spring it will be atomized or nebulized. This structure has been utilized in a medicinal applicator and will work properly and be small and cheap enough to be sold as a dispenser or container of the medicine purchased.

1 claim:

1. In an inhaler, .a casing adapted to contain a quantity of medioinal'solution therein, a collar supported on the top of said casing, an openended sleeve extending upwardly from said collar and defining a nose piece, there being a plurality of spaced openings in said sleeve for the passage therethrough-of air, a body member extending downwardly from said sleeve into the solution,

said body member comprising a lower shank prov-ided with a slot, the intermediate portion of said body member being provided with a bore, there being openings in said body member communicating with said bore, the upper interior portion of said body member being shaped to define a chamber, and a flexible reed projecting into said slot and extending through said bore. 2. In an inhaler, a casing adapted to contain a quantity of medicinal solution therein, a collar supported on the top of said casing, an openended sleeve extending upwardly from said collar and defining a nose piece, there being a plurality of spaced openings in said sleeve for the passage therethrough of air, a body member extending downwardly from said sleeve into the solution, said body member comprising a lower shank provided with a slot, the intermediate portion of said .body member being provided with a bore, the upper interior portion of said body member being shaped to define a chamber, and a flexible reed projecting into said slot and extending through said bore, said reed adapted-to vibrate upon inspiratory breathing of the user to cause the medicinal solution thereon to become atomized and create a spray with the moving air.

3. In an inhaler, a casing adapted to contain a quantity of medicinal solution therein, a collar supported on. the top of said casing, .an opend ended sleeve extending upwardly from said collar and defining a nose piece, there being a plurality of spaced openings in said sleeve for the passage therethrough of air, a body member extending downwardly from said sleeve into the solution, said body member comprising a lower shank provided with a slot, the intermediate portion of said body member being provided with a bore, there being openings in said body member communicating with said bore, the upper interior portion of said body member being shaped to define a chamber, and a flexible reed projecting into said slot and extending through said bore, said reed adapted to vibrate upon inspiratory breathing by the user to cause the medicinal solution thereon tobecome atomized to create a spray with the moving air, and a cap for closing the upper end of the sleeve when the inhaler is not being used.

4. In an inhaler, a casing adapted to contain a quantity of medicinal solution therein, a collar supported on the top of said casing, an openended sleeve extending upwardly from said collar and defining a nose piece, there being a plurality of spaced openings in said sleeve for the passage therethrough of air, a body member extending downwardly from said sleeve into the solution, said body member comprising a lower shank provided with a slot, the intermediate portion of said body member being provided with a bore, there being openings in said body member communicating with said bore, the upper interior portion of said body member being shaped to define a chamber, and a flexible reed projecting into said slot and extending through said :bore, said reed adapted to vibrate upon inspiratory breathing by the user to cause the medicinal solution thereon to become atomized and create a spray with the moving air, a cap for closing the upper end or the leeve when the inhaler is not being used, and a bafile arranged transversely in said sleeve above said body member and provided with a plurality of spaced openings.

5. In an inhaler, a casing adapted to contain quantity of medicinal solution therein, an open ended sleeve extending upwardly from said casing and defining a nose piece, there being a -pmrality of spaced openings at the base of said nose'piece for the passage of air into the casinga body member extending downwardly from said sleeve into the casing, said body member comprising a lower shank provided with a slot, the remaining portion of said body member being provided with a bore, there being air openings in the lower end of the remaining portion of said body member communicating with said bore andwith the interior of the casing, and a ribbon projecting into said slot and extending through said bore, said IlbbDn dipping into the solution in the casing, and means for securing the ribbon in place.

CHARLES M. MCNEILL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 862,856 Tygard I- Aug. '6, 19.07 1,939,302 Heaney Dec. 12, 1933 2,119,207 Gibbs May 31, 1938 2,266,705 Fox Dec. 15, i941.

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 73,625 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1916 

